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The Surprising Benefits of a Radiant Heated Driveway
Radiant heated driveways offer a range of benefits for home and business owners. Certainly, the most obvious is the elimination of manual snow removal. Instead of donning the coat and gloves to attack a snow-packed driveway first thing in the morning, homeowners can relax with a steaming cup of coffee in the warmth of their home. For business owners nothing beats the feeling of arriving at the facility and seeing the sidewalks, ramps, and/or parking areas completely clear of snow and ice. When you install a radiant snow melting system there’s no need to hire a plowing service or ask employees to come in early to shovel and salt the sidewalks.
Automated snow melting systems operate only when needed. The systems utilize an advanced snow sensor that detects temperature and precipitation. When moisture is detected and the temperature is below the adjustable set point (usually set at 39°F), the sensor signals the controller and power is then sent to the embedded heat cables, warming the driveway as the first snowflakes fall.
A radiant heated driveway with cutout showing the embedded heating cables.
The convenience of automated heated driveways can’t be beat, but in addition to not having to shovel, plow, or salt your driveway during the winter, the systems also provide a tremendous safety feature. While heated driveways operate only when snowstorms hit, the systems include an “after run” function that allows the system to remain on for a short period after the storm. This dries the surface to eliminate any melted snow from turning into thin sheets of dangerous “black” ice.
An Added Benefit
Perhaps a surprising benefit of radiant heat is that a snow melting system can extend the life of your driveway. Concrete driveway surfaces tend to last longer when they’re not exposed to sub-zero temperatures. In cold weather climates with ample snowfall, many concrete driveways fall victim to spalling. Concrete is naturally porous, so water from melted snow can seep into every tiny crevice, and refreeze. The damage can occur when the ice expands. As this process repeats, it is known as spalling, and it can slowly deteriorate the finished driveway surface. Over time, the spalling can eventually lead to cracking in the cement.
While seal coating your driveway is one method for helping to extend your pavement’s life span, for those living in cold climates with abundant snowfall, adding an embedded radiant heat system is also a smart move. You’ll enjoy the convenience and enhanced safety provided by radiant heat, and perhaps you’ll even add a few years to the life of your driveway.
Installing a radiant snow melting system can also boost the equity of your home. It’s not only a labor-saving, safety-enhancing, driveway-protecting tool, it’s also a smart investment. Many upscale homes nowadays feature interior radiant heat (heated floors) as well as a heated driveway. Adding radiant heat to your home will likely increase the resale value of your property.
Take time today to learn more about the benefits of radiant heat. The systems can be easily customized to meet your specific performance needs, as well as your budget. Instead of heating your entire driveway you can install two heated tire tracks (24-inches wide), or if you’re on a tight budget, you can simply heat the area that’s on an incline, or other troublesome spots. The choice is yours and the options are unlimited.
Warmzone includes free installation training as well as technical support and complete system design and layout services. We’re available to your electrician and installers throughout the installation process. Warmzone takes pride in leading the way when it comes to customer service.
Start the year off by learning a little more about radiant heat. Call a friendly Warmzone representative today to discuss your project and the many options that are available. In addition to offering industry-leading snow melting systems, Warmzone also carries the largest selection of radiant floor heating (and roof de-icing) solutions on the market. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have. Call 888.488.9276 today.
The Advantages of Radiant Heated Floors and Snow Melting Systems
Today a growing number of homeowners are investing in radiant heat to warm their homes. Indoors or outdoors, radiant heat is an efficient, environmentally friendly, versatile solution for your home heating and snow melting needs.
As you might expect, radiant heat works exactly as it sounds—it radiates through surfaces (think sidewalks, driveways and wood floors) to warm a specific area of your home. Warmzone offers several choices for radiant heat systems; the two most popular being:
- Electric radiant heat—uses resistance heat cable configured beneath a floor or driveway
- Hydronic radiant heat—relies on specially treated hot water delivered through a network of pipes underneath an indoor or outdoor surface
Warmzone radiant heat systems are designed to deliver consistent, evenly spread heat throughout your home, according to your specific preferences. Radiant heat generates a feeling comparable to the warm, enveloping heat you would experience sitting on warm sand at the beach. That’s because these systems depend largely on heat transfer from one object to another. The science behind radiant heat systems effectively eliminates the draftiness and heat loss associated with traditional forced air, making them much more comfortable and much more efficient.
A switch from forced air to radiant heat can also improve the air quality of your home, which is especially important if you suffer from hay fever or equally unforgiving allergic conditions. Forced air systems force, or blow air into your living space, along with dirt, dust and allergens that can compromise your environment. With radiant heat, there’s no duct cleaning or dust to contend with. They’re also very green systems. Inside, radiant heat can be programmed to heat your entire home, or timed to heat specific areas as you move from your kitchen, to your living room and then bedroom to retire, conserving energy for pennies on the dollar.
This same science works wonders outside to keep snow and ice away from your home. An outdoor radiant heat system (snow melting system) involves the laying of pipes or electric cable just below the surface of a driveway or walkway. Their flexibility makes them effective under brick pavers, concrete or asphalt pours and are easily configured to accommodate odd-shaped or hard-to-reach areas. Warmzone sensor-activated radiant heat systems are designed to anticipate snowy conditions to heat walkways, driveways and other areas without resorting to harsh snow melting chemicals; chemicals that can kill vegetation, irritate puppy paws and contaminate ground water. They also eliminate the pain of shoveling and, over time, the expense of snow removal services.
Fortunately, whatever your needs are, Warmzone takes a top-down approach to radiant heat system delivery, and it begins with a phone call. When you call Warmzone, you can to talk to radiant heat professionals with years of experience, free of charge to discuss your radiant heat needs. Based on your input, we can determine what system is right for you.
Warmzone offers a vast selection of products and years of industry experience. We can put together the perfect radiant heat system to meet your needs and your budget. And if you are a die-hard do-it-yourselfer, you’ll appreciate not only access to the pros, but our vast library of materials, including articles and schematics to help you along the way. For more information you can reach our radiant heat professionals at 1-888-488-9276.
The Benefits of Radiant Heat
Radiant heat is thought by many to be a fairly new technology that is just now beginning to take hold in Northern America. While radiant heat was initially more widely used in Europe, it is rapidly being adopted by businesses and homeowners throughout the U.S. and Canada. But did you know that radiant heat technology was actually being used as early as 10,000 B.C. in China?
The ancient Chinese drafted smoke from fires through stone covered trenches in the floors of their subterranean dwellings. The hot smoke heated the floor stones, radiating warmth into their living spaces. Evidence of radiant heated floors based on this principle were found throughout China and Korea. Radiant floor heating was also utilized by the Greeks and Romans as early as 500 B.C.
Radiant heating systems have evolved considerably since then, and consequently are becoming more commonplace. Some of the benefits of radiant heat include:
Efficiency: Radiant heat is a remarkably efficient form of heating. Compared to furnaces and other methods of heating, radiant heat requires significantly less operating time to maintain the desired warmth, keeping your costs to a minimum. High efficiency boilers (for hydronic systems) or electric radiant floor heating systems make radiant heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your home. Coupled with a well insulated home, radiant heating systems can quickly warm your home, and each room can be operated independently, further adding to the efficiency of the system.
Luxurious Comfort: Similar to the rays of the sun, radiant heat warms objects rather than air to create a more even heat throughout your home. Starting with the floor, objects are warmed giving your home a more inviting feeling as your furniture and other fixtures lose their chill.
Custom Design: Radiant heat systems can be easily customized to suit your specific needs. From small floor heating projects to large snow melting applications, radiant heating systems can be designed to heat just about any shape, space or surface type.
Clean, Quite Operation: Radiant floor heating systems inherently offer a superior living environment compared to conventional forced air. Since there are no furnaces or blowers, the system operates silently and dust and allergens are not blown through the air, keeping your home cleaner and more peaceful. For those who are especially susceptible to allergies or respiratory ailments, radiant heat has proven to offer significant health benefits.
To learn more about the benefits of radiant heat, contact a Warmzone representative and see what options are best for you. Call 888.488.9276 today.
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Radiant Heat – A Wise Investment
Installing a Radiant Snow Melting System
A cost-effective investment and smart way to add value to your home is by installing a heated driveway (radiant snow melting system). Once installed, an affordable radiant heated driveway provides low operation costs in the long run, helping you lower your bottom line on home expenses. A heated driveway with an area of 300 square feet operates for under 50-cents per continuous hour of operation. Snow melting generally only takes a few hours to clear your driveway when a storm hits.
Driveway heating is an investment that has demonstrated and visible results. Not only does it allow you some free time with your family – not to mention saving your back from shoveling duties – but it is a proven way to protect the life of grass and surrounding vegetation by eliminating the use of salt and harsh snow melting chemicals. It also extends the life of your driveway by defending it from chemicals and other traditional abrasive snow removal methods.
Radiant snow melting systems are fully automated so you can stay inside where it’s warm and enjoy your coffee or hot chocolate as you watch the snow melt as it hits your driveway. An automatic snow sensor signals the snowmelt system’s controller when precipitation is detected and temperatures are below 39° Fahrenheit. The controller then sends power to the embedded heat cable, rapidly warming the driveway and keeping it clear of snow and ice. The system shuts off automatically after the storm. Electric radiant snow melting systems have an extremely fast response time, operate silently, and are maintenance free – and there are several options to choose from when considering a radiant snow melting system. There’s really no better, or easier way to keep your driveway clear of snow and ice during the winter than with a radiant heated snow melting system.
The peace of mind that comes with making a smart purchase is invaluable right now. We are all looking for ways to ride out this recession and worrisome economic climate, but you can still enjoy some of the finer things in life, and invest wisely in products that will benefit you for years to come.